Game



f ,Z 246010@ #am ,n0 wlwualmmlmum@ www Morneau Mangan wn'I-'Wmuuw IIII Naumann mmsesmntntu mngwmfezumn I MIT/5 Patented Sept. 23, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT ermee.

JOHN F. MAo'PI-IERSON AND WILLIAM E. COTTRILL, OF BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA.

GAME.'

Application filed April 14, 1922.

To all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that we, JOHN F. MACPHER- soN and VILLLAM E. CoT'rinLL, citizens of the United States, residing at Butler, in the county of Butler and State of Pennsylvania,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Games, of which the following is a specification. f

This invention relates to game boards, and

has for one of its objects to provide a board on which the representation of a game of pool may be played by two or more players.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features r of construction as hereinafter shown and described and then specifically pointed out in the claim, and in the drawings illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the inventionz- Figure 1 represents the improved game board and the men or figures movable over the board.

Fig. 2 represents one of the men reversed with distinctive characters thereon.

The improved device comprises a board or plate 10 oblong in outline and having thereon a plurality of spaced circles or spaces 11 arranged in spaced rows transversely of the board and diagonally of the board longitudinally thereof. The number of spaces in each alternate row is less than the number of spaces in the other| row. The circles er spaces which constitute the diagona-l rows are coupled by diagonally arranged paths 12. p

At the corners of the board 10 are surplus circles or spaces 13, each coupled to the main circle 11 by diagonal paths 14, these diagonal paths being continuations of one of the paths 12 and the surplus circles are designated by a distinctive character, for instance the word pocket, this pocket constituting the goal toward which the players work their men. The diagonal paths 12 extend in opposite directions and intersect one another through said spaces 11, and two pairs of these paths are longer than the other and project beyond the said outer rows as at 14 and each terminates at its projected end in a pocket or goal 13.

Two sets of men are employed of distinctive color and designated 16, and the individual members of each group numbered consecutively from 1 to 15 inclusive, asl

shown.

Serial No. 552,665

rlhe method employed in playing a game upon this board is as follows: There are two players, each player receiving fifteen game pieces, the fteen pieces of one player being of different color from the fifteen of the other player. These fifteen pieces of each player are arranged upon the board in the form of a triangle, each piece occupying one ofthe spaces 11, and the base of each triangle extending along the end row of spaces at its respective end of the board. lhen so set u p each side row of each triangle will be lined up upon a path leading directly to a pocket atthe opponents end of the board. The object of the game now is for each player in his turn to move one of his game pieces forward toward his opponent following` one or the other of the paths 11, with the object of moving his game piece in the most direct line to a pocket at the opponents side of the board. When a player makes his first move along one or the other of the paths, he must continue along this path in the direction in which he originally started until he reaches the pocket at the end of the path, that is, if the game piece moved was originally positioned on a path which led directly to a pocket. However, if the game piece was .on one of the other paths he must continue along that path in the direction originally started until the last space at the outside of the series of spaces is reached. He must then take the path leading from this outside space and follow that until he can go no further or until he reaches one of the spaces intermediate the end spaces in the first row of spaces at his opponents side of the board. When this has been accomplished the player can reverse his game piece whereupon the game piece becomes a rover and can be moved backwardly and forwardly as desired by the player each time that he receives a turn to play, until he gets the game piece to the pocket or goal, whereupon a notation is made of the amount indicated upon the face of the game piece and these notations are all added at the end of the game, as in the game of pool, the player adding up the highest scorev winning the game. Each player has the object just set J:forth in view. This is his main object in order to win the game. However, it is also the object of each player to so move his game pieces as to position them in such a way that his opponent will have to ump him, it being compulsory that each man jump a game piece of the opponent when the chance to jump is pre" sented, the object for this being that one man when positioning his game piece in such a way that his opponent will be compelled to jump that by jumping, the opponent will remove his game piece `from a path leading to a pocket, thus compelling the opponent to continue moving his game piece in a direction which he did not originally desire yto go, or, when one player by so positioning his gainev piece compels his opponent to jump him, in the jumping, the opponent has to change the direction originally taken by the game piece and must continue in this direction until brought to a stop by reaching one of the outside spaces on the game board. It will thus be seen that the gaine piece will oftentimes be taken -in a different direction altogether from which it originally started. Each player upon succeeding in so moving his game piece or so jumping his game piece as to land into a pocket or goal or into one of the spaces along the end row of his opponents side of the board is entitled to another move and may move another one of his game pieces. This contest is continued until one or the other of the players has removed all of his pieces from theboard.

One object of the game is for one player to so move his men as to force the other player to jump out ot a direct line of one ot the corner spaces or pockets7 13 and thus necessitate additional moves on his part to regain his lost position.

A rotation game7 may be played by beginning with the man numbered one and jump them in order from one to ifteen, into the pockets.

A game of call can be played requiring that the man called will be required to enter a pocket before any other man A `game of scratch can be played by allowing any man to be jumped into a pocket as a chance is presented.

Any of the different games which are possible to be played on an ordinary pool table can be imitated on the improved game board herein disclosed.

The improved board must necessarily be provided with at least seven rows of spaces transversely and eleven rows of spaces longitudinally, to enable the imitation of the lvarious games of pool to be played.

The player who first secures the greater number ot' mem that is, of his own mem or the larger count of the numbers on the meuf7 into the pockets, will have won the game. l

The improved device is simple in construction, can be played by persons skilled in the art of pool playing, and may be guided by certain rules corresponding to the rules of playing pool.

The preferred embodiinent of the invention is disclosed in the drawings and set forth in the specification, but it will be nnderstood that modifications within the scope of the claimed invention may be made in the construction without departing from the principle of the invention or sacrificing any ot its advantages.`

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is A game apparatus consisting of, a support torniing a playing surface provided with conventional means to constitute a series ot transversely extending spaced rows of spaced circular spaces, the number of the spaces in each alternate row being less than the number of spaces of the other rows and with each space of an alternate row opposing a pair of spaces ot adjacent rows whereby these latter rows will project beyond each end of an alternate row, conventional means on said playing surface to constitute diagonally disposed paths extending in opposite directions and intcrsected by said spaces and further intersecting each other through said spaces, conventional means on said playing surface to constitute a pair of goals spaced from each outer row of open spaces, two pairs of said paths being of greater length than the other paths and projecting beyond said outer rows of spaces and each terminating at its projected end in a goal`r and two differently colored sets of playing pieces traversing sa id paths.

In testimony whereof, I atlix my signature hereto.

JOHN F. MMPI'IERSON. lVILLIAM E. COTTRILL. 

